Shoe-lacer.



No. 69!,853. Patented Ian. 28, I902.

w. FBECKQ' SHOE LAGER.

(Application filed May 6, @1901.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet I Patented lan."28, I902, W. FRECK.

SHOE LACER. (Abplication filed May 6, 1901.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

Patented Ian. 28, I902. W FRECK SHOE. LACEB. (pphca filed m a 1 1 3 Shanta-Shoat 3.

(lo llod al.)

UNITED STATES I PATENT OFF CE.

WILLIAM FREOK, on onIoA'co, ILLINOIS.

SHOE-LAGER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 691,853, dated-January 2s, 1902.

, Applicationfiled May 6, 1901.

zen of the United States of America, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and use fulImprovements in Shoe-Lacers,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improve ments in shoe-lacers, the purpose of which is to provide a neat and convenient device by means of which the ordinary operation of lacing up a shoe may be greatly simplified, made easier,and indeed made possible for persons who are unable to accomplish it in the ordinary way.

The particular class of shoes to which the invention applies are'those having the common form of lacing-hooks which are used almost universally upon mens shoes. The usual method of lacing these shoes is to use both hands, one for one string and the other for the other, and to tie the strings across between the upper hooks.

I desire first to enable the operation of the lacing to be performed with one hand; second, to accomplish the same with the hand at some distance, and, third, to obviate the necessity for tying the strings everytime the shoe is laced and untying them to unlace the same. I have accomplished this by means of a simple and compact device which will be shown in the accompanying drawings, both alone and in connection with the shoe-laces to which it is to be applied, and the essential characteristics of which will be pointed outin V the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view of the device or lacer itself. Fig. 2 is a transverse section in the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view showing the lacer in connection with the hand, the shoe and the shoe-lace, the position of the parts being that at the commencement of the operation of lacing the shoe. Fig. 4is a similar view showing the lacing of one side of the string around one of the first two lower hooks. the two sides of the string may be simultaneously carried about two consecutive hooks intermediate between the bottom and the top of the latter. Fig. 6 shows the manner in which the string is hooked over thelast upper from the end of the handle.

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing how Serial No; 58.898. (to model.)

lacer withthe string to commence the unlacingof the shoe. be pried about the hook; Fig; 9 shows the position after the string is disengagedfromsaid hook.

Referring to Figs. 1- and 2, the lacer consists of a handle and a shank extending from the handle and provided at its free end with two upwardly open books at ashort distance from each other. ing a wire at its middle to make a handleloopA and then bending thefree end of each branch back upon itself, thus forming two short upwardly open hooks a a equidistant Preferably the two branches are spread apart at a (1/, have their shank portions twisted together,as at'a and are made to diverge again just abovethe hooks, as at a a and the hooks themselves are preferably flattened, as shown in Fig. 2, so that-they may be wedged under the shoehooks or hooked lacing-studs.

' Referring to Figs. 3 to 9, B is a shoe or a portion thereof, 0 the shoe lace or'string, and D D the hooks upon opposite sides of the shoe-flaps. The string is shown as tied in a hard knot at c. In place thereof it may be tied or fastened elsewhere-as, for instance,

g. 8 shows how it may T It is preferably formed by bendhook. Fig. 7'shows the engagement of'the 1' at the lower end of the sh0e-1ace1eaving a continuous string from bottom to top and back again.

Looking at Fig. 3, the shoe will be seen just after having been drawn upon the foot and the opposite hooks of the lacer in engagement with the opposite strands of the string.

By moving the device from the position thereseen to that seen in Fig. 4 one of the strings may be passed under one of the lower hooks, and by carrying the lacer back to the other side both strings may be passed beneath two consecutive hooks, as seen in Fig. 5. Continuing this operation the upper hook upon IOO gaged with one side of the string below the first hook, as seen in Fig. 7, forced around said hook until the string is lifted therefrom, as seen in Fig. 9, after which the unlacing of course becomes easy and either one or both of the lacer-hooks may be used for that purpose.

I recognize the possibility of considerable variation in the exact form and construction of the invention.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A shoe-lacer consisting of a handle and a shank extending therefrom and provided at its free end and upon opposite sides thereof, with twoshort, upwardly-open hooks.

2. A shoe-lacer consisting of a handle portion, a shank portion forming an extension from the handle, and two branches in approximately the same plane, diverging downwardly from the shank portion and each bent back upon itself to form a short, u pwardlyopen hook.

3. A shoe-lacer comprising a suitable handle and a pair of diverging prongs having 25 com paratively thin ends, turned outward and backward in the form of hooks; substantially as described.

4:. A shoe-lacer composed of a wire bent upon itself to form a handle, two parts twisted 30 \VILLIAM FREOK.

Witnesses:

OHAs. O. SHERVEY, S. BLIss. 

